The Ugly Duckling
by kunfucious
Summary: TWOSHOT. Kagome is the unattractive girl who is forever chasing after Sesshoumaru, who is the older brother of the playboy, Inuyasha. After meeting Kagome at a bar, Inuyasha is determined to changed her status as an ugly duckling into the the woman ofevery man's dreams—even if it means falling in love with her in the process.
1. Part One

**The Ugly Duckling  
><strong>

_Kagome is the unattractive girl who is forever chasing after Sesshoumaru, who is the older brother of the playboy, Inuyasha.  
><em>_After meeting Kagome at a bar, Inuyasha is determined to changed her status as an ugly duckling into the the woman of__every  
>man's dreams—even if it means falling in love with her in the process.<em>

**x x x**

Kagome was ugly.

Her mother said it, her older _and _younger brother said it—hell, even her best friend said it. But it wasn't like it bothered her or anything. Nope. It wasn't that she was _ugly_; however, Kagome just liked saying that she had a unique sense of style. She was free to dress whatever way she wanted and so what if people judged her for it? She was comfortable in her own skin and she was going to be fierce in her outfit today.

So despite the fact that her mother, younger brother, and best friend thought that her sense of style was a bit horrid, they didn't stop her, merely because it made her happy. Kagome was confident, self-assured, and intelligent. If her looks weren't going to get her a guy, surely her brain and personality would. They just hoped that it would get a guy _soon. _

Luckily for Kagome, her eyes were dead set on someone: Sesshoumaru Takashi.

He was a surgeon who she had accidentally bumped into while she was at the hospital a couple of months ago and she was completely smitten. His molten chocolate gaze could immediately give Kagome heart eyes and she soon found herself at the hospital nearly every other day, leaving him lunch and having a small chit-chat with him.

In Kagome's eyes, Sesshoumaru was _perfect_. Tall, well-built, successful, and caring to his patients—all she needed was to get him to realize her feelings for him. And the last couple of days, Kagome had started dropping hints but it seemed as if he just wasn't getting it. He started leaving his office for lunch earlier or he was too busy with x-rays and paperwork to talk to her.

Kagome had enough.

"H-hi, Sesshoumaru!" she squeaked as she entered his office one late afternoon.

Sesshoumaru looked up and sighed, taking his glasses off and rubbing his temple. Putting his paper down, he ushered her in and gestured for her to sit down. "I can only talk for a little bit, Miss Kagome. I'm very busy right now," he mumbled, his gold eyes never meeting her's.

Kagome bit her lip and placed a box on his desk. "Open it."

Curious, Sesshoumaru did what she said. The box held a blue stethoscope—his favorite color—and a note. He gave her a look before reading the note. Kagome held her breath. It was her love confession, her way of revealing her true feelings for him.

"I was afraid this would happen."

At the sound of his voice, Kagome let out the breath she was holding and blinked furiously. Why was he afraid of her confession? The dark-haired woman began fidgeting with the hem of her dress, unsure whether or not she wanted to hear what Sesshoumaru, the love of her live, would say to her.

Sesshoumaru stood and walked to stand in front of her, leaning against his desk. "I thought I was very obvious with my feelings for you, Miss Kagome," he paused, running a hand through his silver locks, "But I'm just not interested in you like that."

Kagome froze and heard her heart crack into a million pieces. He had been obvious? He had been nothing but nice to her. But then again, it would explain how he never hugged her back or how he would always send her curt replies when she texted him. Kami, how had she been so stupid and blind to not see that?

She couldn't help but give him a bright smile, even though all she wanted to do was smile. "I'm sorry for pushing my feelings for you, Sesshoumaru. I was foolish..." she trailed off, embarrassed at how she handled her situation, "I'll just go now."

"I'd still like to be friends, Miss Kagome."

She tried to even out her breathing before nodding and giving him another bright smile.

"Me too."

**x x x**

Inuyasha was a playboy.

His parents said it, his brother says it—hell, even his butler says it. It wasn't something that he was entirely proud of, but hey, he loved women. Well, attractive ones, that is. They say that it all started back in high school. Inuyasha had always been the outcast, mostly because people thought he was just really weird. It never really bothered him though.

Then he went to college. Not wanting to be the outcast no longer, he took himself to the mall and got a total makeover. In went weird Inuyasha, out came Inuyasha Takashi—sex god and hot playboy.

With his long black hair, tantalizing brown eyes, and great physique, it wasn't hard to see why no girl would feel not attracted to him.

Inuyasha lifted his scotch and swished it a bit, his eyes looking around the deserted pub. It was late in the afternoon, so he didn't really expect any attractive girls to be in. The place was more of a meeting gathering and he was just there to get himself his daily scotch.

Until _she _walked in.

He scrutinized her as she took a seat in one of the booths, wiping her tears and trying to calm herself. She wore baggy pants with a baggy cardigan, topped off with a ruffly bright pink shirt. Her hair was in a messy bun and her face was smeared with her make-up. Her unattractive shade of pink lipstick wasn't helping her situation either.

The playboy watched her from her seat, unable to help himself. He felt bad for her. She looked rather..._terrible _in her choice of outfit and obviously she was crying because she had been rejected.

_Ladies and gentlemen, we've got ourselves an ugly duckling,_ he thought as he paid for his drink and quickly made his way towards the crying girl.

"Are you okay?"

The girl looked up and Inuyasha flinched. He was right—her choice of make-up definitely didn't suit her. And her tears smearing up her face didn't help either. Gulping, Inuyasha slid into the booth and allowed her to cry some more.

"What do you want? Are you here to make fun of me?" she barked, grabbing a tissue from her over-sized bag and blowing her nose.

Once again, Inuyasha flinched. "First of all, I'm not here to make fun of you. Your face does that for you already," he stated, making the girl cry even harder, "Aw shit, I mean, _no_. I'm not here to make fun of you! I just wanted to see if you were okay!"

The girl's sobs softened as she examined him. Deeming him as not a threat, the girl attempted to straighten herself out and cleared her throat. "I'm totally fine."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Suuuure. You're either crying because a big pretty mean girl teased you or you just got rejected."

As if his comment activated some kind of switch, the girl in front of him sobbed loudly. "I don't know what I was thinking! Of course he wouldn't like me—he's so perfect and I look like a troll compared to him! Why am I such an ugly duckling!" she rambled on, gaining some attention from the others in the pubs.

Panicking, Inuyasha attempted to shush her by profusely slapping her arm. "Hey, hey, hey!" he tsked, "Get a hold of yourself, woman! You're in a bar! You look pathetic as hell!"

"I _am _pathetic!"

Seeing that he wasn't going to win, he let her wallow in her sorrows a bit more until she calmed down once again. "Are you done crying now?" The girl nodded. "Great. Now, let me give you some advice."

That caused the girl's eyes to perk up. "Advice? You're going to help me? But you don't even know me!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I'm Inuyasha, and you are...?"

"Kagome. Kagome Higurashi."

"Great. Okay, so listen to me, Kagome. So what if you're an ugly duckling? You can always change the way you look! Fuck the guy that rejected you, obviously he doesn't know what _investing _means!" he recited proudly. For some reason, seeing this girl reminded him of his younger self. Maybe he really _could _help her out. And hey, it would be another great story to tell women—the great Inuyasha Takashi, helping a poor ugly duckling find her hot, sexy self.

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows, trying to see if she should accept his advice or not. "Changing the way I look isn't that easy. I love _me _right now," she mumbled, playing with her hands.

Inuyasha shook his head. "And what has _you _right now gotten you? A broken heart? A bruised ego? Come on, just think about it," he urged, his hand reaching for her's, "Tell you what. Let me help you with this."

The girl quickly took her hand away from his grasp. "Are you serious? You're gonna help me with a makeover? You don't even know me!" she squeaked.

The playboy rolled his eyes. "I was like you before, okay? And people like us have to stick together, you know? The ugly ducklings."

Kagome narrowed her gaze, not sure whether she should trust this guy or not. But he seemed genuine.

Seeing that she was still trying to see if it was a good idea or not, Inuyasha grabbed a pen from his pocket and scribbled out his number on a napkin. "Here you go. If you're good to go with the makeover, just text me and I'll tell you where to meet me, okay?"

The dark-haired woman stared her hand and then at the man who just walked out of the bar's door. Wiping her eyes with her other napkin, Kagome thought about it. Maybe it _was _time for her to change the way she looked. She had looked like this since high school and if she wanted to finally find the man of her dreams, maybe she can tweak her appearance just a little bit.

"Well, maybe I'll make up my mind after a few days."

**x x x**

Kagome felt out of place at the mall. Not only where people staring but they were whispering things too. Most probably snide remarks about how she looked. She tried to preoccupy herself by straightening out her plaid dress but no progress. She still felt the stares.

"Kagome!"

Hearing a familiar voice, Kagome turned to see Inuyasha, the man from the bar who offered to help her "find her hot, sexy self." Even though she just wanted to stop looking like an ugly duckling, Inuyasha insisted that she take it a step further.

"Make him beg for you to give him another chance. Instead of you pinning over him, he's gonna be the one drooling over you!" he had said on the phone one night, making Kagome blush.

Was he really able to make her look that good? Sango had deemed it impossible but Inuyasha seemed so determined.

He led her to a high-end boutique and began picking out numerous amounts of clothes for her. She had offered to pay—she might look like an ugly duckling but it didn't mean that she was a _broke _ugly duckling. Kagome was good with saving money and buying a new closet full of clothes was no problem. But Inuyasha had insisted on paying for everything.

"No."

Inuyasha pouted as he held up the barely-there dress. "But Kagome! You'll get the guys drooling with this number!"

Kagome rolled her eyes and walked passed by him towards another rack of clothes. She looked through the many floral print dresses until finding one that seemed decent enough. It was an A-line dress with a dark pink cherry blossom print to it that was both pleasing to the eyes and her body type. "These are the types of dresses I like, Inuyasha," she explained, holding up the dress and pointing to the rack.

"But...they look so plain."

The dark-haired woman shook her head and smiled. "Sure, it's plain, but it'll give me the opportunity to show them my natural beauty, not my assets," she explained, replacing the dress in Inuyasha's grasp if the one that she had picked, "I know your goal is to make me 'hot and sexy' but I just want to still be comfortable in my skin. I don't want the guy that I like to fall in love with my body. I want him to fall in love with me—Kagome Higurashi."

Inuyasha stared at her retreating back as Kagome continued to look through the store. The only thing that was really unappealing with Kagome was her fashion sense...and her hair. If a guy looked past that part of her, then he would realize that Kagome was actually a pretty girl who was smart, determined, and down-to-earth.

For some odd reason, Inuyasha found himself smiling at the floral dress in his hands and nodded his head. "Hey, hey Kagome! Wait up, will ya!"

Soon enough, Kagome was walking around the mall with numerous amounts of shopping bags and Inuyasha was _still _not done. He led her into the salon—the best part of the makeover was just beginning.

And now, Kagome sat on one of the salon chairs, a pretty woman working on fixing her eyebrows.

"You know, I still don't believe that _you _ever looked like an ugly duckling, Inuyasha." she hissed through the pain as the woman continued to thread her eyebrows to perfection.

Inuyasha looked up from his magazine and shrugged. "Oh trust me. If I had some pictures with me that I didn't already burn, I'd show you. But changing my appearance and my lifestyle has been the best thing that's happened to me."

Kagome bit her lip at his comment. "But don't you feel lonely? You said that you don't like commitment and that women just want you for your appearance. Don't you want something real with that special someone?"

Now Inuyasha had to laugh. "Something real? In this day and age, that doesn't exist anymore, Kagome. Everyone just wants to hook up. At this age, true love doesn't exist. And maybe for me, it never will."

After his comment, the women in the salon soon shooed him out of the private room, intent on giving Kagome the best makeover they could ever give someone, since Inuyasha paid them to do so.

So there he sat, reading an old issue of a magazine while waiting for Kagome. He didn't really know what he was so determined to help her. But it was great that he had earned a friend along the way. Although Kagome was a bit unattractive, it wasn't because she was born that way—she just didn't know how to fix herself up. But her personality was what warmed Inuyasha's heart. The woman was ambitious, determined, and loving. Even though she was brutally rejected, she still cared for that bastard—something that was rare in Inuyasha's eyes. Whoever he was, he was definitely going to be a lucky man.

"Inuyasha?"

He lowered his magazine but at the first sight of her, Inuyasha dropped the thing all together.

There stood Kagome, or who he assumed was Kagome. Her hair, which was usually up in a bun, was now flowing behind her, just stopping above her waist. It was a beautiful shade of black, just a bit lighter than Inuyasha's. Her face, which was usually caked with make-up that didn't match, was like a doll's. Her big brown eyes were accentuated by her surprisingly long eyelashes, a soft blush adorning her cheeks, and her plump lips shining with lip gloss.

But it didn't stop there.

Who would have ever thought that Kagome Higurashi had such a curvaceous body? She had ditched her plaid dress for a loose white top with a flowing printed skirt. Her long legs were put on the spotlight with her nude high heels, her deep green toes even being able to make her look adorable.

"Well...?" she whispered, tugging a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Inuyasha was too stunned for words. Kagome was a beautiful woman on the inside, and now, she was stunning on the outside too. This was definitely different from the woman that had been carrying numerous shopping bags a couple of hours ago. This woman wasn't the same woman who was sobbing her eyes out in the bar a couple of weeks ago. The woman in front of him oozed out beauty and "sexy bombshell" at the same time.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Kagome."

Kagome blushed as she approached, leaning down and reaching for the rest of her bags. Immediately, all the men that were passing by the salon stopped and stared. Inuyasha felt an unusual feeling bubble in the pit of his stomach and he suddenly had the urge to punch every single one of them for eyeing Kagome like some type of prey. Shaking his head, Inuyasha looked over at Ayame and waved his hand.

"Thanks, Ayame!"

Ayame Tsuwabaki smiled and waved her hand. "It was no problem! Now take care of that beautiful woman for me, Yash!"

Chuckling, Inuyasha led Kagome out of the salon and towards the parking lot—away from the lusty stares of obviously horny men. None of them deserved Kagome. The only man who deserved Kagome was...

Inuyasha stopped. Who deserved Kagome? _Oh yeah, that guy she's always talking about_...he thought as he placed all of the bags in his trunk. And then suddenly, two arms were wrapped around his waist. He looked down to see Kagome snuggling his chest, her eyes closed and a content smile on her face. Immediately, his face reddened.

"Thank you so much, Inuyasha. For being an awesome friend."

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her in return, taking in her new floral smell. She might have looked different, but in Inuyasha's eyes, she was still the same geeky and awkward Kagome that he was consoled at the bar all those weeks ago.

And that was when he realized that he was slowly falling for her.

**x x x**

Her heart beat wildly against her chest.

Here she was, Kagome Higurashi, on a date with the one and only, Sesshoumaru Takashi.

Of course, he still had to pick her up.

She had texted him to meet her at the cafe inside the hospital and he had agreed to meet her, surprisingly. Kagome had decided to dress casual but her new appearance definitely stunned the doctor. Soon enough, they were chatting and laughing and then, Sesshoumaru had blushed and asked her out to dinner. Remembering Inuyasha's advice, Kagome attempted to remain calm and accept his request with grace. But deep inside, Kagome was squealing like a little fangirl.

While Kagome was upstairs in her room, finishing up the last touches to her attire, Inuyasha waited downstairs. He sat next to Miroku and Souta, her older and younger brothers as they all anticipated what Kagome would look like.

But all Inuyasha wanted to do was punch a hole in the wall. There was no denying his attraction for Kagome now. Yet, he didn't know when it all started. Did he fall for her when he had first seen her crying in the bar or at Ayame's salon? Until he knew that part, Inuyasha didn't dare make a move. He didn't want her to think that he only liked her because of her transformation, but it was hard to not to feel jealous when she would be looking beautiful with another man.

"Okay, guys. How do I look? And be honest!"

All three stood from the couch and turned towards the stairs. There stood Kagome, dressed in a deep blue A-line short-sleeved mini dress with a plunging neckline, topped off with her obviously new favorite nude heels. Her hair had been up in a simple high ponytail and took Ayame's advice on minimal make-up.

Miroku and Souta began muttering threats towards the man that would accompany Kagome on the date while Inuyasha stared in awe. She was beautiful. Sure, she had been beautiful back then in personality, but now, her beauty was shown in both personality and appearance. His heart beat faster against his chest and Inuyasha suddenly found it hard to breathe.

"You're gorgeous."

Kagome smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Really? You think so?" she asked while Inuyasha nodded. Stepping forward, Kagome wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's torso and nuzzled in his chest. "Thanks, Inuyasha. For everything."

Feeling the heat seep into his cheeks, Inuyasha nervously laughed and hugged her back. "Sure, don't mention it!" Attempting to not make any more of a fool of himself, Inuyasha pretended to glance at his watch and loudly clicked his tongue. "Oh, look at the time! I have to go...um, my mother's expecting me to help her out with something—bye!"

With a rush, Inuyasha bid her brothers farewell before giving Kagome one last tight hug and not before whispering a quick 'Be careful' in her ear.

But as Inuyasha sat in his car, he didn't dare to start it. A silver car had began to stop in front of the shrine and parked a couple of feet away from him. In the darkness, he watched the man, who he assumed was Kagome's date, and instantly, his eyes widened.

_Sesshoumaru?! _Kagome had never told him who she had a crush on and Inuyasha had never tried to pry. But of course, it would be Sesshoumaru! _His older brother!_

Waiting until Sesshoumaru ascended the stairs, Inuyasha punched his steering wheels. There was no way Inuyasha could win against him. Sesshoumaru had been the perfect son in his family. Despite the fact that he steered away from the family business, Sesshoumaru was still the number one son in his parents' eyes. Inuyasha had tried so hard to surpass him—in school, in grad school, life in general.

Yet even now, years later, Inuyasha would still lose to him.

"You better treat her right, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha muttered as he looked up the stairs and saw Kagome and Sesshoumaru walking down, "You damn better make her fucking happy."

**x x x**

"What are you wearing?"

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows at Sesshoumaru's incredulous question. She looked down on her outfit, which consisted of simple loose jeans, a loose tee shirt, and an oversized cardigan. Her hair was in a big bun, resulting in the fact that she had woken up late for her and Sesshoumaru's brunch date.

Sesshoumaru lowered his head as an emphasis that he was still looking at her attire. "_Why _do you look like that? You never wear jeans. And you look like you just rolled right out of bed."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I _did _just roll out of bed."

"My girlfriend will never look like a mess."

The dark-haired woman's eyes widened at the title. "Girlfriend? When did we establish where our relationship is, Sesshoumaru?"

The doctor scoffed as he stirred his coffee. "I took the liberty of establishing it for us. We are now a couple and I will not tolerate that fact that my girlfriend looks like a mess."

Seeing that he wasn't going to give her a break, Kagome sighed and grabbed a bagel. After her dinner date with Sesshoumaru, it had actually gone better than she had expected. Sesshoumaru had been charming although he was mostly blunt. He constantly complimented her look that night, which constantly made Kagome blush. Inuyasha had been the first person she told but as the dates she went with Sesshoumaru increased, the less she saw of Inuyasha.

Of course, she didn't dare say anything about Inuyasha to Sesshoumaru. Kagome had quickly learned that Sesshoumaru was the extremely jealous type yet he liked to show her off to everyone. It confused Kagome but she should take it as a form of flattery, right?

"You can't just make decisions by yourself, okay? A relationship consists of _two _people." Kagome declared, giving him a look.

Sesshoumaru brushed off her comment and sipped his coffee. "There's a little luncheon for the hospital on Friday. I'll need you to dress at your best, no questions asked. My little brother will also be there, although I surely doubt that he'd be pleasured to be there."

Kagome's ears instantly perked up. Sesshoumaru had never talked about his family, hell he never even paid attention when Kagome spoke of her's. "A little brother? You never told me you had a little brother!"

"He's quite the little playboy, constantly giving our father a headache. Inuyasha will be the death of my parents for sure."

Kagome's eyes widened at the name. "Inuyasha?" she repeated slowly as Sesshoumaru gave her a funny look, "Is your brother friends with someone named Ayame Tsuwabaki?"

"Yes," Sesshoumaru answered, straightening up a bit, "We've been friends with the Tsuwabaki family for several years now. Why do you ask?"

Shaking her head, Kagome sighed. "No reason. I've met your brother before, I believe. We're good friends, although I would have never thought that you two would be related."

How can Inuyasha not tell her about his relation with Sesshoumaru? Then again, she never even told Inuyasha her crush's name. How could he have known?

With the sudden mention of Inuyasha, Kagome's heart began to ache. At first, she merely brushed it off, deciding that it was because she missed Inuyasha—her friend. But as time passed, Kagome began to wonder.

Was her relationship with Sesshoumaru always what she wanted? Sure, Kagome had the biggest crush on Sesshoumaru before. She had been the ugly duckling, liking the fair swan from afar. Then Inuyasha, her fairy godmother, had come and rescued her. And now that she was a beautiful swan, Sesshoumaru had took a liking to her. But did he like her for her or for her new look? He had been awestruck when he entered the cafe and found her sitting there, looking graceful and timeless compared to how he had seen her before.

But then, there was Inuyasha, her supposed fairy godmother. He had approached her when she had rushed into the cafe, looking like how she did. But he had no care that she looked like a troll, he had taken the time to approach her and ask her about her problem. He had offered to help her and made her laugh when they went shopping and told her that she was beautiful when she felt like the ugliest creature in the world.

Looking at Sesshoumaru then back at her bagel, Kagome felt as if the air in the room had been taken away. She liked Inuyasha. Hell, she might even have deeper feelings than a mere schoolgirl crush. Sesshoumaru had been the unattainable man that her old self dreamed of, but seeing the real him made her realize that he was just as shallow as he was before. He was only dating Kagome because she was pretty—not because she was smart or ambitious or funny or determined.

"Inuyasha's the black sheep of our family, never being able to achieve anything. That's why Father's so reluctant to leave his priceless company in the hands of that imbecile."

Kagome slammed her hand on the table. "Don't call him an imbecile!"

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "And why not? You've talked to him. That simpleton's goal in life is to have sex with every single woman in the world. Father swears that the day Inuyasha brings home a decent pretty girl is the day that he's ready to take the company—which I highly doubt."

She could feel her blood boil. Sesshoumaru was no prince—he was the witch! How blind could she be? Sesshoumaru wanted to be surrounded by perfect—just like his name was. Yet he wasn't near close to being perfect himself! "You're such a mean older brother! Why can't you just support him?"

"_Because _Kagome. Inuyasha will go nowhere in life, just like how that girl in the corner—end of story." he said in a tone that meant that his word was final.

Examining the girl in the corner, Kagome realized that the girl with thick-rimmed glasses, bushy hair, and messily-applied make-up was _her_. Or well, her before Ayame turned her into the swan that she was now. Suddenly, it dawned to Kagome. Everything she had needed to realize before was slowly becoming clear to her.

"You know what, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, gathering all her things and getting up from the table, "_I _can define our relationship too—you can go to that luncheon, by _yourself_."

And with that, a stunned Sesshoumaru was left inside the cafe, a half-eaten bagel hanging from his mouth.

**x x x**

Calm yourself, my dear readers! This will be a two-shot!  
>I know, I know—this isn't an update for Playing Mister Romantic<br>or Bumps and Bruises, buuuut I just watched this Filipino movie of  
>the same nature and I just got so inspired! So here it is!<p>

I can definitely promise you guys that you won't have to wait  
>weeks for the next and final chapter, and maybe during my little<br>time of avid writing, an update for the two other stories will just  
>randomly write itself also!<p>

I hope those of you who have started school like me are having  
>a swell time! Don't be too stressed yet! And for those of you who<br>haven't started yet or are out of school and just working, I ENVY YOU.

Heheh, anyways, don't forget to read and review!

xoxo kunfucious


	2. Part Two

**The Ugly Duckling  
><strong>

_Kagome is the unattractive girl who is forever chasing after Sesshoumaru, who is the older brother of the playboy, Inuyasha.  
><em>_After meeting Kagome at a bar, Inuyasha is determined to changed her status as an ugly duckling into the the woman of__every  
>man's dreams—even if it means falling in love with her in the process.<em>

**x x x**

Inuyasha looked around the room, tired of seeing the same faces over and over again. As the next chairman of the company, he had to be mingling with these people, talking business mergers and whatnot. But Inuyasha didn't want to. All he wanted to do was go home, take off this damn monkey suit, and relax in the comforts of his apartment. Yet his father insisted that his presence was crucial.

His youngest son knew very well that his father didn't want to hand down the company to him. If his father had a choice, he would give his precious jewel to Sesshoumaru in a heartbeat. Too bad his older brother didn't want anything to do with the business world and wanted to stick to what he did best—surgeries. Why was Inuyasha the one who decided to major in business back in college? _Because I wanted to impress Father, that's why_. Inuyasha thought as he chugged down hist third glass of scotch. He could hear his father's loud chortle from the other side of the room and Sesshoumaru was most probably off boring someone to death.

"I'm surprised you haven't left the premises yet, little brother."

_Speak of the damn devil_. Inuyasha wiped the corners of his mouth and turned to face Sesshoumaru, an exasperated look plastered on his face. "And miss out on all this charity fun? Not a chance, Sesshou."

The older demon scoffed at his brother's incompetence. "I don't see why she went to such lengths to defend you. If she were here, she would see that I was correct from the beginning."

Inuyasha quickly whipped his head back towards Sesshoumaru and cleared his throat. "She? Who are you talking about?"

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "As if you don't know Kagome, my girlfriend. Although she refuses to answer my calls or to see me for that matter," he muttered the last part under his breath but Inuyasha still heard it loud and clear. "I made an accurate statement about your being and she found it offensive and left rather abruptly."

"Well, that's Kagome for 'ya." Inuyasha mumbled, unable to shake off the feeling of intense jealousy in the pit of his stomach. Sesshoumaru never deserved Kagome—not one bit.

"It's a good thing Kagome's a nice thing to look at. Does she not know that women should just be seen and not heard?" Sesshoumaru tsked, quickly drinking the same scotch that Inuyasha ordered.

But what the older demon failed to realize was the anger that was brewing inside Inuyasha. Every time he spoke to Sesshoumaru, the idiot continuously gave him reasons as to why he and Kagome were never meant to be and that Inuyasha was the one who should be in his place. "You know what, I think I know why Kagome's ignoring you," Inuyasha started, rising from his seat and fixing his cuffs, "I think she dumped you, you intolerable ass. Kagome's not just an object that supposed to stand next to you and look pretty. No—Kagome's more than that." Inuyasha paused. What the hell was he saying? He was so mad that his trail of thoughts were just all over the place. The volume of his voice had greatly increased and caused to capture the attentions of those around him. But he seemed to not give a flying damn about it.

"Kagome is a strong woman who doesn't need to be treated like a shitty person _by _a shitty person. Sure, she's beautiful but she's more than that. She's witty, she's a pain in the ass, she's forgiving—she's everything that a woman should be and you don't deserve her."

Sesshoumaru chuckled darkly and stared directly at his younger brother. "And you think you deserve her, little brother? Do not deny the fact that you, of all people, treat women as if they are mere toys. After you get bored with one, you throw them away and find an even more interesting one. And you dare talk to me about deserving a woman like Kagome? Tell me brother, who's the better man between the two of us now?"

Inuyasha couldn't let Sesshoumaru win, but he was right. Inuyasha was a notorious playboy—the whole fucking country knew it. What right did he get to have to talk about being the deserving man for Kagome when he couldn't even treat other women right? And then suddenly, something in Inuyasha's mind clicked together. "You know what, you're right. I treated those women horribly—but you know why? They let me. They were cheap and tasteless women who wanted nothing but my money. But Kagome? Kagome had no clue who I was but she still befriended me. And now she knows my real identity and is she throwing herself to me because of my money? No. And that's why I want her," Inuyasha muttered darkly. "She challenges me to be a better person just by being next to her. She doesn't hesitate to scold me when I'm being an ass and when I'm around her, I feel like I can be the man I should and can be. So fuck off, Sesshoumaru."

Unable to bear being disrespected by his younger brother in such a way, Sesshoumaru made a grab for Inuyasha's arm, only to have Inuyasha's fist connect to his face.

"Don't ever touch me or Kagome ever again, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha threatened before leaving the charity event.

**x x x**

"_It's a great feeling being able to continue working on expanding what my father has put his whole life into...such a great honor...I will not let Japan or the Takashi family name down..."_

"Wow, Inuyasha Takashi—the incredibly hunky new CEO!"

"Smart and sexy? His wife must be lucky!"

"I heard he's not married!"

"What? I'll volunteer as his wife!"

Kagome rolled her eyes at the two women gossiping. Didn't they have any decency? They were definitely at least five years younger than Inuyasha was and all Kagome could do what shake her head at them. They hardly even knew Inuyasha yet they were so willing to be his wife. "Tsk, tsk. Golddiggers."

"You know, swan princesses aren't allowed to have that kind of language."

The dark-haired woman nearly spit out her drink, instantly recognizing the condensing voice behind her. As she turned and studied him, Kagome realized that he hadn't changed that much. Still the same gold eyes, still the same physique, still the same clothes. It was hard to believe that she had expected him to change a little, after the five months that they hadn't seen each other.

"And now that you told me that, I think I'll use this language even more, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru chuckled and took the empty seat across from the young woman. As Sesshoumaru took his turn to examine her, he quickly noticed some major changes. Kagome's hair was a big longer and was in its natural state, from what he assumed. She was still better dressed, but it was toned down. She was dressed in a sheer top with a long, flowing pastel-colored dress. The young woman looked so at peace with her—especially since Sesshoumaru was out of the picture. "I understand that we ended in horrible terms, Kagome but—"

"We discussed this, Sesshoumaru. We're both fine and we've both moved on."

The older man sighed. Typical stubborn Kagome, not listening to what he has to say. "I remember the day, Kagome. You and I are fine and you and I have moved on, but he hasn't."

The simple pronoun quickly pipped up Kagome's attention. She hadn't spoken to Inuyasha for about eight months and the separation was unbearable for Kagome's part. She couldn't face Inuyasha, not after just plainly shutting him out of her life because she got the supposed man of her dreams. And even though Sesshoumaru and her were over, she couldn't possibly just show up in his life again and expect everything to be normal. No, especially not with what she was feeling right now.

The more time she spent trying to not think of Inuyasha, the more she did. He made her heart beat without her even knowing and his words of encouragement were what kept her going when she was in the roughest part in her life. Even Sesshoumaru had noticed it when he and Kagome ended their relationship but the older man had decided to not get involved. After the fiasco at the gala, Sesshoumaru had decided that whatever happened in Inuyasha's life was none of his business at all, even if it involved his ex-girlfriend.

"Inuyasha...seems like he's doing fine without us. Just look at him, he's the new CEO. How did that happen?" Kagome questioned curiously, thinking back to the time where Inuyasha's father detested the idea of handing his precious company down to his youngest son.

"Father saw a significant change in him, we all did. Out of nowhere, he got more mature, more straight-forward. He started going to all the meetings, traded the night clubs and parties for business meetings and conferences. And so Father gave him the approval and now there he is." Sesshoumaru explained, gesturing towards the television.

So maybe Inuyasha had forgotten about Kagome Higurashi, the ugly duckling that he turned into a swan.

And maybe it was for the best.

Kagome didn't need heartbreak in her life anymore—she needed to focus on herself. She was going on vacation to Okinawa for three weeks to get away from her busy city life and relax for a bit. Then she would come back and focus on her job. It seemed as if dating and marriage were not in her near future and the only thing Kagome could do was work and focus on her career. No matter how much she disliked the idea of slaving over her workload, she knew she would have to do it.

Love would just have to wait.

"He's going on a business trip soon. He won't be back for two months," Sesshoumaru informed, hoping that it would inspire Kagome to at least see the young CEO off, "At least go and say bye."

Kagome shook his head and gave him a small smile. "I'm leaving for Okinawa at the end of the month. I won't be back until after three weeks and maybe when I do return, everything will be at peace. My feelings, my head—everything."

Sesshoumaru nodded but still kept the scowl on his face. The two were completely stubborn. It was very much obvious that Inuyasha and Kagome loved each other despite the short amount of time that they spent together yet they were running away from each other.

The dark-haired woman stood up and bowed deeply at Sesshoumaru, her hold on her clutch tightening. "I'll be leaving now. I have many errands to do."

Watching her leave, Sesshoumaru fished his phone out of his pocket and pressed the 'CALL' button.

"Hello?"

Sesshoumaru smiled, an idea hatching in his head. "Inuyasha, there's something important I have to tell you..."

**x x x**

"Don't do anything stupid over there, okay?" Miroku sternly said, giving his younger sister a tight hug.

Kagome rolled her eyes and pushed herself away from his grasp. "Control your man, Sango!"

Sango, on the other hand, laughed at her best friend and fiance. "Oh, come on, Kagome. You know how emotional this pervert can get." Miroku glared at the two, completely offended. Of course, the glare quickly melted away and he was once again hugging his dear sweet little sister.

"Why do you have to go all the way to Okinawa to relax? We can run you a hot bath at home and Sango can even make you some top-notched dishes!" Miroku insisted while Sango pinched his ear.

Kagome giggled at the sight in front of her. Miroku, her older brother, and Sango, her best friend, had liked each other since the day they first met. But it took them about fifteen years to date and finally get engaged. Sometimes, she felt envious for them but majority of the time, she felt nothing but joy. There was no need for her to feel jealous towards her brother and best friend. They both deserved each other and loved each other to the moon and back. There were times where Kagome held their relationship up on a pedestal. No matter how many times Miroku was being a pervert and no matter how many smacks Sango gave Miroku, they still acted and talked as if they were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship.

"Well, I need to head on and find my gate now. I'll see you both in three weeks!" Kagome waved her hand as she went through security. The gate was fairly easy to find and she had gotten the time to get herself a coffee and a donut. She had two more hours until her departure time and it only meant that she had an extra two hours to spend for herself.

But the more she spent thinking about herself, the more she thought about Inuyasha. She didn't necessarily know when she fell for him—all she knew was that she did. Inuyasha had something about him that intrigued and irritated Kagome to no end and she greatly missed it. She had wanted nothing but to call Inuyasha and talk to him about everything that had happened but she could never find the courage to press the green button. So instead, the most she heard about him was on the paper and the news. Talking to Inuyasha would require her to face him and she didn't think that she had that courage. Kagome might have had a face that showed courage but she didn't actually hold the trait in her heart.

"Kagome!"

Hearing her name, Kagome placed the edge of the coffee on her lips and looked around curiously. The voice couldn't have been from Miroku's but it seemed vaguely familiar—and desperate.

"_Kagome!_"

Before she knew what was going on, Kagome was swept up from her seat and was buried in Inuyasha's chest. The whole thing had happened so fast that Kagome felt as if her poor meek heart was going to explode. But here she was, coffee in one hand and a donut in the other, being mysteriously hugged by a frantic Inuyasha.

Pushing away from him, Kagome glared and straightened out her top. "What the hell do you think you're doing, you!" she yelled at the frazzled Inuyasha.

"No matter what you feel Kagome, you can't marry him. You just can't!"

Kagome placed her hand on her hip and clicked her tongue in annoyance. "What in the world are you talking about, Inuyasha?"

The man evened out his breathing before speaking, still unable to believe that he had ran from the international side of the airport to the domestic side. "Sesshoumaru. Three weeks ago, he called me and said that you two were going to Okinawa to be wed. At first I didn't believe him but then I thought about how much you loved him and you can't marry him, Kagome. You just can't!"

Kagome was ready to kill Sesshoumaru. How dare he interfere with her life! He had no right to do so but it warmed Kagome's heart that it bothered Inuyasha so much that he was here—in front of her.

"Really?! And why can't I marry Sesshoumaru, huh?!" Kagome retorted back, continuing the lie for just a little.

Inuyasha hesitated at first, running a hand through his hair and biting his life. What was he supposed to tell her now? Was he going to lie or was he just going to tell her the truth this time? "Because..._I'm _love in love with _you_. I'm in love you, Kagome. I don't know when it happened but I know that I can love you better than Sesshoumaru can. I'm in love the Ugly Duckling Kagome Higurashi who was crying over a childish crush and I'm in love with the woman who took my dress away with that royal blue dress," he paused, taking Kagome's hand into his and kissing her knuckles lightly, "I know I haven't talked to you in eight months. I was scared. You dumped Sesshoumaru and he said such bad things about you but he also made me realize that I didn't deserve you, Kagome—at least not yet. So I bettered myself so I can inherit the company and so I can impress you. That's all I wanted to do."

Kagome could feel and hear her heart soar. So they were both being complete idiots! "Inuyasha, stop talking, you dumbass!" she yelled, putting her mouth to his finger. "Listen to me, Takashi. We didn't talk for eight months and I thought you hated me. So I tried to continue on with my life, then you decide to invade my television screen, you jerk!" She punched him in the arm, a sign that his unrealistic presence had bothered her completely. "But you did deserve me. Whether you're the CEO Inuyasha Takashi of the company or you're just plain Inuyasha Takashi, you did deserve me. I didn't deserve you at first—the whiny ugly duckling who did nothing to better herself. But you helped me and changed me and accepted me, and dear Kami, how I just miss and love you so much!"

Launching herself at him, Kagome buried her face in the crook of his neck, taking in the scent of his cologne. She absolutely loved this man. She didn't know when, she didn't know why or how, but she just did.

Inuyasha, who was shocked at first, tightened his grip on her and ran his fingers through her hair. "So don't marry him, Kagome. Don't do it and wait for me. Wait until I get back, okay?"

Kagome giggled, wiping the tears that were forming around her eyes. "I can't do anything, Inuyasha. There was no wedding. Sesshoumaru and I were not even engaged. I think he just told you that so you'd come racing here to find me, that sly dog," she explained, laughing loudly at the surprised expression on Inuyasha's face. "I'm going to the Hoshinoya Resort in Okinawa to relax—that's all."

Sighing in relief, Inuyasha once again lifted her and smiled. "Then wait for me, okay? It's two months. I'll be back soon and I promise we will never be apart ever again, okay?"

Kagome nodded, unable to contain her happiness. "You better keep your promise. Your Ugly Duckling will be waiting for you."

Inuyasha swooped down and captured her lips in a soul-searing kiss. The passion and unexpected love that he felt at the moment was visible in the eager kiss and Kagome return it with as much passion and love that she had in her tiny body. It was perfect yet imperfect at the same time. The first kiss in their budding relationship and the last one until two more months.

Pushing away softly, Kagome bit her lip and leaned her forehead against Inuyasha, enjoying the heat and devotion that was coming off of him. "That's my flight. I have to go."

"Remember, wait for me, okay?"

Kagome nodded, grabbing her purse and luggage and walking towards the gate, "Got it, Takashi!"

**x x x**

"Kago-_meeeee_! Why am I carrying all these bags?"

"Because you're the idiot that said, 'Oh, let me carry all of those' every time we leave the store!"

"Carry one for me, Kago!"

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms, turning around to glare at her husband. "Honestly! You made me wait for you for how long? _Five _months? Our agreement was two, buddy!"

Inuyasha sighed and whined like the little pup that he was. Sure, he had to stay an extra three months to settle some disputes during his business trip, but he came back right? And he even surprised her with a dozen roses and dinner and a necklace. But the first thing that Kagome had done to him was throw her slipper at him and yell. She had been so upset that she walked out of her own house when he was trying to explain himself to her.

He had found her thirty minutes later at the pub that they first met at. After hours of begging and explaining and even more begging, Kagome had finally forgiven him and had agreed to go on a date with him. And now, two years later, they were happily married.

With the exception of Kagome glaring daggers at her husband.

"Kagome, I'm sorry! I'll carry all the bags! C'mon babe, talk to me," Inuyasha whined, grabbing his wife from the waist and kissing the nape of her neck.

Kagome instantly calmed down and allowed her husband to sweet talk her, knowing that she was merely overreacting. After a few more hours of shopping, the two headed back to their usual pub and sat down, enjoying each other company.

"Aren't you going to drink that?" Inuyasha asked curiously, pointing towards the untouched alcoholic drink in front of his wife.

Kagome blushed madly and twiddled her thumbs, Inuyasha instantly knowing that something was up. "Well, you see...I was going to tell you next week when I could get pictures but..."

Inuyasha slowly began to smile, putting the pieces together. The reason why she was constantly moody, the reason why she was eating so much, the reason why she wasn't drinking her favorite drink. "Babe...are you...are we...?" he trailed off, knowing well enough what the answer is, judging by the look on Kagome's face.

"Inuyasha, I'm pregnant."

It was as if someone had Inuyasha in the butt as he leaped off his seat and slid Kagome out of the booth, lifting her up in the air and twirling her. Kagome laughed happily and playfully smacked her husband to put her down, claiming that he was making the baby dizzy. It seemed propesterous but Inuyasha didn't care—he was going to be a father.

"I love you, my Ugly Duckling."

Kagome smiled and nuzzled against his cheek, feeling complete in his embrace. "I love you too, my Fairy Godhusband."

And that's the story of how the Ugly Duckling got her happily ever after.

**x x x**

BEFORE YOU GUYS SKIN ME ALIVE, LET ME EXPLAIN MYSELF!  
>Lol, so the month of January had definitely been a busy one. It was<br>my birthday and I was also sworn into the Navy. So me updating,  
>along with juggling those activities up there and school, it was pretty<br>hectic. But now, I do have some time to relax and I should be able  
>to update my other stories regularly now.<p>

Thank you all for your patience and you are all so kind and ahhh!

Don't forget to read and review, you lovely souls.

xoxo kunfucious


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